| Digital Security Act, 2018 Cyber Security Act | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Jatiya Sangsad | |
| |
| Citation | Act No. 46 of 2018 |
| Territorial extent |  Bangladesh |
| Enacted by | Jatiya Sangsad |
| Enacted | 8 October 2018 |
| Assented to | 8 October 2018 |
| Commenced | 8 October 2018 |
| Status: Repealed | |
The Digital Security Act, 2018, was a digital security law in Bangladesh. This act was passed with the aim of preventing the spread of racism; sectarianism; extremism; terrorist propaganda; and hatred against religious or ethnic minorities through social media, print media or any other electronic media. Any content over the internet or any other media that was deemed pornographic or otherwise inappropriate by the government could be punished by fines or prison terms of various lengths. [1]
Digital Security Act was feared that the law could be used to suppress dissenters against the government due to some of its provisions that are vague and ambiguous, open to interpretation or prone to abuse.[2][3][4] This law has been used to sue and arrest journalists, activists and also cyber criminals.[5][6] It has been described as a "Draconian" law.[7]
The Digital Security Act was repealed in 2023 and replaced with the Cyber Security Act, 2023.[8]
- ^ "Digital Security Act 2018: young generation speaks". New Age. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
- ^ "Bangladesh Enacts New Law That Could Silence Dissenters". The Diplomat. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
- ^ "Digital Security Act 2018 passed in JS". banglanews24.com. 19 September 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
- ^ "One Mushtaq and the nuances of 'bail'". The Daily Star. 2 March 2021. Archived from the original on 4 March 2021.
- ^ "Indiscriminate use of Digital Security Act against journalists". The Daily Star. 4 May 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
- ^ "Abuse of DSA worries editors". The Daily Star. 7 March 2021. Archived from the original on 7 March 2021.
- ^ "Bangladesh: Media Groups Condemn Arrest of Journalist Under Draconian Digital Security Act". The Wire. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ "Bangladesh: Government enacts Cybersecurity Act 2023". DataGuidance. 4 March 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2024.